Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-31
WOMEN AND GYMNASIA.
THE LATEST CRAZE ABOUT
PHYSICAL CULTURE.

The CRtechism and the Prescription
A Fresh Channel for the Emp oN men'
ofWomen-H ow the Movement Spread
NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-"Only Boston
passion" was the comment OF the unsym-
pathetic New Yorker on the ardor with
which Beacon Hill bought UP Helen
HaIkness' bonnets when that impecuni'
Gus heroine of law oman's Reason" took
10 millinery for living. "Only femi-
nine passion dare say that same critic
of things social is saying now as she
philosophicRlly smiles over the enthusi-
asm of the New York damsel as well as
the Bostonian In pursuit of the latest IN
terest, more absorbing than bonnet
buying, physical culture. The passing
fervor of feminine enthusiasm, slow to
rouse but tenacious OF its idol during the
period of it's 1dolatry, has kindled ana died
out many times. but this once believe 1t
is destined to burn with steady gov,
for this time IT has an abundance OF fuel
to feed it,
PHYSICAL culture: That means gym
nasium, of course, a gymnaS'ic SUIT IN
which one can LOOK much prettler, be-
cause freer and less restrained. than out
of it, and Systematic exercise for the
wholesome development Of the body.
what would YOU ?" said a fresh-lippnd
girl with blow ng hair and red cheeks
as she hurried along Thlrty-third street
the other dav. ain the summer | play
tennis, row. swim, climb. In the
winter here in the city what can do? Ii
YOU but so much as walk a pace faster
than other folks the whole street turns
and stares at you. So I've taken to the
gymnasium, and it's right jolly take,
too"
THE PHYSICAL CULTURE SCHOOL.
What could do but follow alter and
beg permission to judge of the jollity OF
the proceedings for my self? The School
al PHYSICAL Culture at Thirty-third strast
and Fifth avenue, presided over by DR..
Mary Taylor BIssell, tn pretty little SIS
fer of DR.. Taylor. Nassars new presi-
dent. Is, so far as know, the first Cymna-
SUM for women in New York city regu-
larry supervised by physician, and it
was within its doors that | followed the
enthusiastic girl. DR.. Rissell has fitted
I'D the second floor of the building occu-
pied by the Woman's Exchange, and the
second season OF her Glasses Is now well
under way.
To every applicant for admission comes
first the catechism, then the prescription.
Height, weight, chest measure, arm
measure, waist measure, lung capacity,
all these are jotted down for reference,
and then you are assigned to q class for
general work or detailed for special eX-
ercise. Ready for businesss OF comes
the dress and the corset. A JERSEY and
short light skirt make all the costume
necessary, though ones fancy can-and
often dOes--run riot on cOlOis and fabrics
and Shapes. The divided skirt. that
English dress reform bobby, has its adj
Vocates for gymnasium use. 1t was ac-
tually introduced at Vassar last year,
and alter the prejudices Of few were
overcome-girls not adverse to the low
corsage mostly, mOdesty is a matter of
education, you know-was generally &C
cepted as the best dress for the purpose
vet devised. New York damsels have
not come to that yet though they may in
time.
A WORD ABOUT THE NEW YORK MAID.
The New York maid is nothing il not
picturesque, AMI she fulfills the law OF her
being even on a rowing machine. She
doesn't pull bad stroke this winter. and
ii is safe to say she won't catch crabs in
her tete-a-tetes on the lily pond next mid
summer, no matter how absorbing her
conferences with the young men of the
plub helmet and nautical shirt may be-
come. Did you ever see a woman handle
a pair OF Indian clubsp She touches
them gingerly as if they were loaded and
might go off at either end at first, but
she catches the swing Of that most
graceful OF all motions after surprisingly
few trials, and goes through her evolu-
tions thereafter with rare precision and
ease. The chest weights and apparatus
for the development of the upper arm are
In constant use, and the swinging rings
find daring gymuasts evolved by practice
on them. Every species Of apparatus in
use IN Woman's gymnasium is adapted
in size, as a matter OF course, to the
strength and needs OF women and girls,
and there are tales of an inch or two inches
in chest measure, an inch in arm measure
and two or three inches in waist measure
gained in few months work.
Chest and arm glrth, yes; but how about
that increase in the belt? An. well, your
true New Yorker takes 1t phllosophically
she doesn't undertake gymnasium prac-
tice without expecting to see results, and
besides good big waist is not uniash-
enable just now; it grows in grace with
he knowledge OF hygiene.
This new impetus in the direction of
physical culture has gone so far as to
promise fresh channel Unemployment for
women. There Is a normal class hard at
work in Brooklyn, under the direction of
DIR. W. q. Anderson. W here young women
are fitting themselves for teaching the
gospel OF bodily health, for taking charge
o. WOmeuS Sy III nasIa, etc. Nv mats feDu-
tatiOn 'tbout the bretf OF llfe?" the darkey
cried when urged not to run away from
the battlefield in time Of danger. WHATS
education without the breath OF life? '' is
what the Yankee girl is beginning to ask
herself now, ana 1t is beyond
doubt high time that she did, for
this gymnasium training means not
merely an hour or two peTiuuctOry ex-
ercise TWO or three times week under
supervision; 1t is sign and symbol OF
the whole tendency in favor OF a more
vigorous physical life that manifests it.
selfin out Of door abandon without limit
IN the lengthening summer vacation. in
devotion TO every winter sport within
reach. and IN the search for an indoor
substitute and supplement that shall
Keep the blood moving and the eyes
bright at every season and III all wealth
ers.
HOW THE ATHLETIC MOVEMENT SPREAD.
1t is odd when one comes 10 think oft
that the athletic movement should have
spread so slowly from men to women.
and yet 1t is perhaps stranger that it mas
30 spread at all. 1t is not so long when
one reckons II In years that robust
health, TO say nothing OF systematic
physical culture. has been reckoned a
Thing desirable IN a woman. There Law
very likely on your grandmOther's table
The guide and rule OF her daily
DutgOings aud incomlngs, DIR. John
f.ravorgta 81 %. -